Our Lady of Victories Catholic School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 May 2023

Leaders, including trust leaders and governors, have taken swift and effective action to address the weaknesses in safeguarding that were identified at the last inspection. As a result, arrangements for safeguarding are now effective. Leaders have high expectations and ambition for all pupils. However, sometimes their vision is not realised in practice because they have not checked that what they wanted to happen is actually happening. For example, there are some inconsistencies in the way that adults listen to pupils read and in the application of the behaviour policy in some classes. Pupils speak very positively about behaviour in school. They are clear that bullying and discrimination are not tolerated. For the most part, pupils behave very well, both in lessons and during less-structured times. Younger pupils sometimes find it difficult to meet adults' high expectations. They do not always respond quickly to adults' instructions or demonstrate high levels of self-control. There is a very broad extra-curricular offer in place in the school. Leaders have developed an approach called 'I collect', which aims to provide pupils with a wide range of memorable experiences before they leave primary school. Some of these experiences include travelling by train, aeroplane and car to various places such as Amsterdam, Paris and London.

What the school should improve

• The targets on some support plans for pupils with SEND are not specific enough. This means that pupils may not get the precise support that they need to enable them to achieve the best possible outcomes. Leaders should ensure that staff are trained in how to write targets that are specific, measurable and time-bound.
• Leaders' ambitious vision is not currently realised because they do not consistently check the quality of some of the practice in school. This applies to leaders at all levels. There are some inconsistencies and variability in the way that things are done or taught in the school. For example, there are some inconsistencies in the strategies that adults use when they are listening to pupils read and the application of the behaviour policy is not consistent across all classes. This means that some pupils may not achieve their full potential. Leaders should ensure that they make regular checks on the quality of practice within the school so that they have a clear, strategic oversight of where improvements might need to be made.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)